The BBC reports that Rajoy's government handed control of the region to Saenz de Santamaria on Saturday morning.

Saenz de Santamaria, 46, has been Deputy Prime Minister since 2011. Barcelona-based daily La Vanguardia called Saenz de Santamaria "the most powerful women since democracy" when she was first appointed. Her brief as Deputy Prime Minister includes control of the country's intelligence services, the first time this has not been overseen by the Ministry of Defence.

Pro-independence demonstrations in Barcelona, the capital of Catalan, began on Friday night and went on into early Saturday morning. So far Madrid has taken no further action beyond official decrees. The BBC reports that Catalan President Carles Puigdemont arranged for his family to leave the country ahead of the parliamentary vote for fear that they could be arrested.